There had been a continuing series of crashes at the level crossing prior to the fatal crash, resulting in the local road and rail authorities installing perceptual countermeasures such as warning signs and enhanced road markings in attempts to provide more information to drivers of the crossing location and characteristics and to influence vehicle approach speeds.
The report of the Committee (STAYSAFE 56, 2004) was a comprehensive review of road, vehicle, driver and railway-related factors involved in level crossing incidents and crashes.
At the Coronial Inquest, Coroner Mr Carl Milovanovich said of the allegation: In my view there is certainly one hypothesis that can be discounted immediately, and that is a suggestion that the boys were attempting to race the train.
I wish to make it very clear to the family and to the media who will no doubt report this matter, that I, as coroner, have categorically rejected any suggestion that the boys were attempting to race the train.
In summing up, Mr Milovanovich stated:[4] The acute angle of the curve from a 100 km/h area leaves little room for braking if the bells or lights are not seen or heard or for a person who may not be familiar with that section of the road.
The coroner went on to say:[4] The real tragedy in this matter is not whether the driver made an error of judgement, but that in this day and age when we all strive to reap the benefits of new technology, such as computers, advances in medicine, trains that travel at 160 km/h and even faster, we still have a 19th-century approach to level crossings on the basis that they are traversed by horse and cart.Since 2001 there has been significant reform to the management of railway level crossings, not only in New South Wales but nationally across Australia.
The CRC for Rail Innovation is conducting a number of research projects into railway level crossing design, management, and technology.